SANTA ANA – An indicted drug dealer will be arraigned tomorrow for murdering a 21-year-old intoxicated woman by providing her with a lethal dose of heroin and methadone and refusing to take her to the hospital when she was unconscious and in need of medical care. Louis Richard Wood, 35, Mission Viejo, was indicted March 11, 2013, on one felony count of murder and faces a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in state prison if convicted. Wood is being held on $1 million bail and is scheduled for a continued arraignment on the indictment tomorrow, Friday, April 19, 2013, at 8:45 a.m. in Department C-5, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana.

At the time of the crime, Wood is accused of having been a heroin dealer for approximately 10 years and was using approximately one to two grams of heroin a day.

For several days prior to Nov. 16, 2011, the defendant is accused of staying at the Extended Stay America Hotel in Lake Forest with 21-year-old Emma Wihlborg, with whom he had been having a sexual relationship with for approximately three weeks. The victim had medical conditions, for which she regularly used Xanax and prescription drugs.

On Nov. 15, 2011, Wood is accused of sharing the hotel room with Wihlborg and J.G. The defendant is accused of being J.G.’s heroin dealer and ingesting heroin in the hotel room with him. Wihlborg left the hotel to visit a friend and returned later that night. She appeared intoxicated and informed Wood and J.G. that she had consumed a large quantity of alcohol and smoked Oxycontin. She consumed Xanax pills upon arriving back at the hotel.

After Wihlborg returned, Wood is accused of drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana with her and J.G. Despite Wihlborg’s severely intoxicated state and prior knowledge (described below) that combining multiple drugs and alcohol was dangerous, Wood is accused giving Wihlborg black tar heroin, which she smoked while Wood and J.G. also ingested heroin. Wood is accused of then giving Wihlborg a crushed Methadone pill. Wihlborg then passed out in a chair in the hotel room.

The following morning, Nov. 16, 2011, Wood is accused of unsuccessfully attempting to wake the victim, who appeared to be breathing. He is accused of placing her in the shower and running cold water over her, but the victim still did not wake up. Wood is accused of then placing the victim back on the bed. J.G. suggested taking Wihlborg to the hospital, but Wood is accused of refusing and instead leaving the victim alone in the hotel room and going with J.G. to pick up additional drugs.

When the defendant and J.G. returned, they are accused of finding Wihlborg with yellow and pink mucus leaking from her nose. The victim was not breathing. Wood is accused of attempting to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and J.G. called 911. Paramedics arrived at the scene and pronounced the victim deceased.

An autopsy revealed that Wihlborg died as a result of “Acute Polydrug Intoxication with Dehydration,” or a lethal combination of drugs. Wood is accused of knowing that providing the victim with drugs was dangerous and murdering Wihlborg by giving her heroin and methadone anyway, which were determined by the coroner to be a substantial factor in her death.

This case was investigated by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD).

Prior Knowledge of Danger of Combining and Using Drugs
Evidence was presented to the grand jury that Wood had prior knowledge of the dangers of using and combining drugs.

On March 26, 2011, eight months prior to the murder of Wihlborg, Wood is accused of being present when 16-year-old Kelsey B. died as a result of “Acute Polydrug Intoxication.” The defendant is accused of having provided heroin the Kelsey B. on prior occasions and was present when she was found deceased. It is unknown if the defendant furnished Kelsey B. with heroin on the night of her death. Wood is accused of learning that Kelsey B. had ingested heroin and Xanax on the night of her death.

In the course of the investigation into Wihlborg’s death by OCSD, detectives spoke with 21-year-old Jane Doe. Wood is accused of providing heroin to Jane Doe for approximately four years. He is accused of injecting Jane Doe with heroin approximately 100 times. On several occasions, Jane Doe became unconscious and Wood is accused of claiming to have revived her and saved her life.

Senior Deputy District Attorney Susan Price of the Homicide Unit is prosecuting this case.